Handbag with drawer compartment



July 13, 1965 l. OAKES HANDBAG WITH DRAWER COMPARTMENT Filed June 17, 1963 3, WA 3). 4 q Z x II II"' E: 11'

llllnll l V (f? L" United States Patent Filed June 17, 1963, Ser. No. 288,110 1 Claim. (Cl. 150-28) The present invention relates to improvements in ladies handbags and, more specifically, to bags having upper and lower compartments.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which is designed for greater convenience than hitherto known multi-compartment bags, in that the upper and lower compartments are separated from each other, so that either one compartment can be used without interference with the contents of the other compartment.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which has in its lower compartment a drawer provided with a new and improved locking device that can be unlocked simply and easily and that, when closed, will not open up accidentally, irrespective of the position in which the bag is held and irrespective of any movements carried out therewith.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which has a wide base, allowing the bag to be placed on a table or the like, and its lower or upper compartment, or both compartments, to be opened and filled, or emptied, without danger of the bag falling over and spilling its contents.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which is comparatively simple in construction, but of a pleasing outer appearance as well as sturdy and well adapted for withstanding the rough usage to which handbags usually are subjected.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and com binations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangements of parts of the embodiment disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing I have set forth an illustrative embodiment of my invention.

In said drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fractional sectional view on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1, showing details of a drawer locking mechanism; and

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the details of FIG. 5.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing the numeral 1 denotes an upper compartment of a handbag, having a bottom 2, side panels 3 which are movably fastened to the bottom 2, pliable end pieces 4, and a pair of jaws 5 forming a mouth frame provided with a spring lock 7 and a carrying handle 10. Attached to the interior of the one of the side panels 3 are a pair of pockets 11 and 12 for coins and tokens or the like, and a plurality of rings 15 on to which keys (not shown) may be snapped. To the interior of the other side panel 3 is attached a large pocket 17, which preferably is provided with a slide fastener closure 20.

The pliable end pieces 4 preferably are triangular, and a pair of stiff, trapezoid-shaped flat members 21 are downwardly extended from the base section of the end pieces 4, forming continuations thereof. The members 21 are parts of a lower compartment 25, which has a bottom 22 and a rear panel 23, and which is open at its front. A drawer 24 is slidably inserted into the lower compartment 25 through its open front portion. The drawer 24 preferably is trapezoid-shaped in cross-section and can be used for carrying letters, writing paper, stamps or the like, so that it constitutes a substitute for a small briefcase. The trapezoid shape of the lower compartment 25 gives to the entire bag an increased base, so that the bag will rest safely on any surface while its drawer 24 is being opened and closed, and articles are being inserted into, or discharged from, its upper compartment.

A recessed safety spring lock, or any other suitable locking device is provided on the lower compartment 25, in order to prevent an unwanted sliding-out of the drawer 24. Such a locking device 27, which safely and automatically will snap in when the drawer 24 is being closed, and which is easy to open, even when the user of the bag is wearing gloves, preferably consists of a Z-shaped lever 30, which has a hook-shaped end portion 31 adapted for engaging a wedge-shaped element 32 secured to the lower side of the bottom 2. The lever 30 is extended into the drawer 24 through a slot 33 in a front panel 34 of the drawer 24, and it is tiltably secured to the panel 34 by means of a resilient angular blade 35 that has a tendency to keep the lever 30 in the locking position shown on FIG. 5. In order to release the locking device 27, the lever 30 is tilted in a clockwise direction. When the drawer 24 has been pulled out almost completely, the member 32 engages the rear panel 37 of the drawer 24, so as to prevent a falling out of the drawer 24 from the lower compartment 25.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to he understood that the following claim is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

' Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States is:

A handbag comprising a bag body having a base bottom portion, a pair of triangular pliable end portions, an intermediate bottom portion vertically spaced from the base bottom portion, and side portions one of which has an open section intermediate the base bottom portion and the intermediate bottom portion; a drawer slidably in serted between the base bottom portion and the intermediate bottom portion through the open section of the side portion and having a bottom as well as end portions and side portions; a wedge-shaped member extended from said intermediate bottom port shaped extremity of said lever toward said intermediate bottom portion-of said bagbody so as to engage. said 7' wedge-shaped member when said drawer is closed, and

said wedge-shaped member being so dimensioned as to engage-asideportion of" said drawer when the drawer is open for preventing the drawer fro m sliding'entirely out of-said bag body.

ion into said drawer intermediate the side portions of the drawerya resilient blade mounted on a side portion of said drawer; and a. Z-, shaped lever secured to said blade having a hook-shaped? extremity; said resilient blade tending to move the hook- 94,291 V References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES- PATENTS 7 10 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT; Examiner;

JOSEPH R.'LECLAIR,IPrimary'Examiner.

' 508,327 11%93 Lippincott" 5 2,463,993 "3/149' Me'yers 150-34 2,788,823 4/57 Walser 150V34 2,808,092" 10/57 fGreen 150-42 Dumas I a 

